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Roster of consultants - WHO Programme of Work on Promoting Equitable Global Heath Research and Rethinking Ethics Oversight

Remote | Home Based - May require travel

  • Organization: WHO - World Health Organization
  • Location: Remote | Home Based - May require travel
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Social Affairs
    • Internal audit, Investigation and Inspection
    • Scientist and Researcher
    • Project and Programme Management
    • Ombudsman and Ethics
  • Closing Date: 2025-02-12

Purpose of consultancy

To provide technical guidance and expertise to help develop and contribute to a programme of work focusing on promoting equitable global health research and rethinking ethics oversight.

Background

COVID-19 highlighted the key role played by science and research in the public health response. It also highlighted major challenges within the research ecosystem, including the issue of equity, both in terms of research participation and access to the benefits of that research. The key role played by ethical review systems during emergencies also came under the spotlight. As a global leader in the area of support for research ethics oversight, the Health Ethics & Governance Unit at WHO HQ convened a meeting of representatives from over twenty countries at a pre-workshop to the Global Summit of National Ethics Committees in Lisbon, Portugal in September 2022, to better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by ethics review committees during COVID-19. This work package picks up on those findings, and other work conducted by the Unit both during and before COVID-19 to build a programme of work to facilitate appropriately resourced and supported ethics oversight and to promote equitable research.

The main objectives for the project are to:

  1. Build the evidence base to ensure that the needed reform of ethics review oversight is grounded in real-life experience and that the evidence captures globally diverse perspectives.
  2. Address key gaps in ethics review oversight, with particular reference to trial design.
  3. Facilitate and promote equitable access to participation in research and the benefits of that research.

Deliverables

Specific deliverables will be pre-defined for each consultancy. Consultants are expected to perform a variety of tasks, including:

  • Provide technical advice into mapping and developing the progamme of work.
  • Deliver a literature/scoping review synthesizing what pre-existing proposals in terms of best practices/models for ethics advice.
  • Contribute to the preparations/development of agendas, background papers and reports for relevant expert and advisory group meetings.
  • Contribute to the preparations/development of agendas, background papers and reports for stakeholder engagement consultations.
  • Development of case studies and other relevant review and analysis of documents.
  • Produce a draft of the ethics outputs (i.e., tools, guidance, recommendations, reports, frameworks and/or toolkits).
  • Contribute to the preparation of final documentation and outputs for publication and the development of an implementation strategy.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Essential:

  • Advanced university degree in Ethics, Law, Philosophy, Sociology, Political Science, Medicine or related field.

Experience

Essential:

  • Band level B: 5 to 10 years of relevant experience in the fields of public health, bioethics, philosophy, political science, or other related fields, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications.
  • Band level C: Over 10 years of relevant experience in the fields of public health, bioethics, philosophy, political science, or other related fields, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications.

Desirable:

  • Experience in providing ethics advice to governments or non-governmental organizations.

Skills/Knowledge

Essential:

  • Advanced knowledge of ethical issues in public health
  • Excellent communication, research, presentation, and report-writing skills
  • Ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural settings

    Languages and level required

    Essential:

    • Expert knowledge of English

    Location

    Offsite: Home-based

    Travel

    The consultant is expected to travel.

    Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded)

    Remuneration

    Band level B: USD 350 - 499 per day
    Band level C: USD 500 - 625 per day

    Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited)

    N/A

    Expected duration of contract

    6 to 11 months depending on programme needs.

    Additional Information:

    • This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
    • Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
    • A written test may be used as a form of screening.
    • If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
    • For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
    • The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
      The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.
      Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int
    • An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) into practice.
    • WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of short-listed candidates.
    • WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
    • Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.
    • WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
    • Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.
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